An in-room IOT control system includes a base module, a voice and touch interactive display extending above the base module, and a controller operable by the user to remotely (e.g., wirelessly) control the state of a plurality of environmental features including temperature, music, lighting, curtains, water, hotel services, amenities and entertainment. The display includes a digital mouth, the movement of which is synchronized to synthesized speech spoken by the module.
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3. A hotel room internet-of-things (IOT) controller, comprising:
a base module configured for table-top mounting;
a control system operable by a guest in the hotel room to wirelessly control temperature, music, and lighting;
a touch interactive screen extending above the base module, the screen including a digital representation of a mouth, wherein movement of the mouth is synchronized to synthesized speech spoken through a speaker associated with the controller, and the screen comprises a substantially circular display;
a snooze button,
a lamp, and
a sensor configured to detect respiratory breathing rhythms of sleeping guests.
1. A method of enhancing engagement between a hotel room guest and an internet-of-things (IOT) controller of the type including a base module having a speaker and configured for table-top mounting, a control system operable by a guest in the hotel room to control the room environment, and a touch interactive screen extending above the base module, the method comprising:
displaying a digital representation of a mouth on the screen; and
synchronizing movement of the mouth with synthesized speech played through the speaker;
wherein the digital mouth includes top and bottom lips, and the step of synchronizing comprises displaying the digital mouth: i) in a partially expanded position when the controller is preparing to play synthesized speech; ii) in a fully expanded position with lips partially spaced apart when the controller begins synthesized speech; and iii) in a fully expanded position with lips fully spaced apart when the controller completes synthesized speech speaking;
wherein synchronizing further comprises at least one of: i) moving the top lip relative to the bottom lip; ii) moving the bottom lip relative to the top lip; and iii) moving both lips;
providing the TOT controller with access to an emoji database;
retrieving an emoji expression from the database;
integrating the emoji expression into the mouth during synthesized speech;
using artificial intelligence to determine the guest's mood; and
adjusting an attribute of the room environment and an attribute of the synchronized mouth movement to adapt to the guest's mood.
2. The method of
4. The controller of
8. The controller of
9. The controller of
10. The controller of
i) in a rest position when the controller is silent;
ii) in a partially expanded position when the controller is preparing to speak;
iii) in a fully expanded position with lips partially spaced apart when the controller begins speaking; and
iv) in a fully expanded position with lips fully spaced apart when the controller finishes speaking.
14. The controller of
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This is a continuation-in-part application claiming priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/163,186 filed Oct. 17, 2018; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/793,982 filed Oct. 25, 2017; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/636,546 filed Jun. 28, 2017; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/586,191 filed May 3, 2017; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/622,850 filed Feb. 14, 2015; and U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/940,160 filed Feb. 14, 2014. The entire contents of all of the foregoing applications are hereby incorporated herein by this reference.
The present invention relates, generally, to an interactive module for controlling electronic devices and features in a hotel room and, more particularly, to techniques for imparting personality characteristics to a display associated with the control module.
Most major hotel chains, property brokers, timeshare companies and aggregators offer proprietary rewards mobile applications (referred to herein as mobile apps) to their members, including loyalty programs promoted by Wyndham Rewards™, Marriott™, Choice™ Hotels, Hotels.com, the Ritz-Carlton™, Hilton Honors™, Hotels.com™, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG™), Hyatt™, and Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG™). These rewards programs are intended to increase the frequency and quality of customer engagement, and to foster brand engagement. However, adoption has been sluggish because downloading and configuring the app is perceived as cumbersome and time consuming.
Presently known methods used by hotel guests to obtain information on property amenities, guest/room services, travel and entertainment schedules generally involve: i) dialing the hotel operator or concierge; and ii) using the TV remote to navigate information displayed on an in-room television screen or reviewing printed materials in the room that needs to be updated daily or weekly. As social media replaces these traditional tools, the hospitality industry seeks new and improved devices, systems, and methods for overcoming the limitations of the prior art and re-capturing in-room “touch points” which enhance the guest experience with new technologies.
The present invention involves an in-room, interactive control module used by guests to control their immediate environment and otherwise interact with hotel resources and the outside World. Various embodiments include a display atop the control module, where the user interface presents a digital “mouth” configured to impart personality attributes to the display to make a direct connection and more engaging guest experience. The mouth, either alone or in conjunction with other features and techniques, transforms and advances an otherwise traditional voice command component into an anthropomorphic element reminiscent of personality. Further embodiments allow the size, shape, speed, and other indicia of lip motion to be manipulated to thereby impart a visual dimension to the device's “personality”.
For example, by synchronizing the movement of a graphical mouth to the voice content being delivered, the display may be perceived as “speaking,” as opposed to merely replaying digital content. The present inventors posit that this personification increases user engagement, and provides for a more robust and engaging (and memorable) guest experience.
In contrast to generally circular wall-mounted display interfaces (e.g., the NEST thermostat), some embodiments of the present system exhibit a traditional robot form, in the sense that a tilted “display face” and “head” extends from the top of a unified or modular “body” and thus forms an underlying human metaphor to which personality attributes may be more intuitively attached.
There is also a need for a PaaS solution combined with (or including) an in-room IOT control system which may be controlled by a loyalty mobile app or service campaign, and which tracks guest location, interests, feedback and needs to thereby enable customized guest experiences and targeted marketing programs informed by contextual awareness, such as whether the guest is travelling for business or pleasure as well as personal preferences that can be migrated from property to property. Furthermore, the integrated display and interface can be hosted locally or remotely without the need for the guest to download a mobile app.
To achieve the foregoing and other objectives in accordance with the present invention as broadly described herein, various embodiments comprise: i) a hotel-wide or enterprise-wide PaaS system; ii) a room based IOT network including a base module configured to control a plurality of peripheral network devices (e.g., lights, television, router, radio, telephone, shades, water, thermostat) or embedded building infrastructure sensor solution; iii) a mobile app which is separately downloadable or embedded within an existing hotel brand app running on the guest's mobile device, the app configured to interface with and control the IOT network and coordinate hotel services; iv) a location tracking service managed by the app and configured to monitor the location of the guest on and/or off the hotel property; and v) an analytics and/or machine learning engine configured to augment the location data with contextual awareness, to thereby facilitate enhanced customization of the guest experience and transmit targeted marketing messages to the guest (e.g., in in real time) to generate additional revenue channels for the property; vii) configuring the PaaS system to deliver an Application Program Interface (API) allowing the hotel property manager to monitor and control the IOT devices to reduce power and water usage within each hotel room independently or within a select property space conveniently and effectively to yield additional cost savings for utilities throughout the facility; viii) wirelessly controlling room temperature through a controller positioned within a bedside module; ix) thermal mapping and other motion mapping using multiple sensors (including but not limited to Radar) within a guest room; x) radar or other sensor modalities may be provided to sense respiratory breathing and rhythms of sleeping of resting guests; xi) promoting conservation through gamification coupled with a loyalty rewards component; xii) migration of guest personal preferences that can move from property to property; and xiii) configuring the API to offer hotel managers the ability to set thresholds or limits to thereby track and manage utility usage within each hotel room and other areas on the property.
In an embodiment, the IOT control system comprises a base unit adapted for electrical communication with a high voltage power source, and a plurality of stacked electronic modules adapted for wirelessly receiving communications from the base including high voltage power, low voltage DC power, data, and control signals.
Each stacked electronic module may be configured to communicate with, monitor, embody, interface with and/or control one or more of the following IOT devices: computing and communication devices for facilitating hotel services such as room service and concierge services, electronic card readers, hard drives, lamps, batteries, speakers, clocks, fans, pencil sharpeners, cup holders, staplers, mug warmers, stock tickers, displays, personal computers, electric staplers, tape dispensers, pencil holders, game controllers, wireless chargers, post-it note dispensers, coffee makers, refrigerators, web cameras, wireless receivers, wireless transmitters, Blue ray/CVD/CD/disk drives, baby monitors, air fresheners, mobile device stands, air ionizers, motion sensors, power interfaces, laptop and smart phone docking and charging stations, home controls, game controllers, thermostats, fire alarm/smoke/CO detectors, gestural interfaces, numeric/calculator pads, scanners, eye tracking devices, flash drives, wireless pads/styluses wireless mouses, wireless keyboards, wireless charging stations, web cameras, wireless receivers, wireless transmitters, battery power sources, IO panel/instrument jack, spare plug outlets (similar to a power strip), wireless headphone transmitters, auxiliary interfaced or wireless screens/displays, credit/debit card chip and magnetic stripe readers, HVAC systems, displays, personal computers, shade, blind, and other window covering controllers, door and window locks, faucets, showers, toilets, sinks, water leak detectors, and combinations thereof.
In various embodiments the hotel guest may be incented to enable location, proximity and personalization services in exchange for a downloadable mobile app for remotely controlling the in-room IOT control module that in turn controls the immediate room environment, as well as discounts, enhanced services, gaming points, and other perks and rewards which may be derived from the location data alone or augmented with contextual awareness.
In the context of this disclosure, the terms hotel and property may also contemplate motels, apartment complexes, timeshares, or any other type of residence.
By way of non-limiting example, contextual awareness may include “knowing” that the guest is primarily or currently attending to business or pleasure, the guest's short term and/or long term itinerary, the guest's previous locations (conference room, restaurant, office building, movie theater), and unique user preferences relating to cuisine, entertainment, lifestyle, music, and environmental comfort metrics such as lighting, room temperature, mattress firmness, and the like. Additional contextual awareness metrics may include monitoring when location data goes dark, and thereafter re-emerges in another city, suggesting that the guest has flown from one city to another.
Additionally the PaaS system may be configured to learn guest habits, routines and preferences to intelligently (e.g., algorithmically) prepare the hotel room to accommodate desired environmental factors including temperature, lighting, window shade position, entertainment, and consumable items such as beverages and food that would deliver an inviting and welcoming room presence to drive loyalty for the property and brand.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings, where:
Various embodiments disclose a round (e.g., circular) display which, together with the control module to which it is attached, facilitate voice and touch interaction, although the speaker and microphone need not be located within the perimeter of the display. Textual, graphical, and other digital content is presented on the display, augmented with sound, haptics, sensors, colors, scents, and other features to facilitate a more intimate user experience, as described in more detail below.
In a preferred embodiment, a digital representation of mouth (which may include separating lips to simulate pronunciation) is presented on the display, with the visual mouth movements synchronized to the audible sounds of the synthesized speech, to give the impression that the display “speaking.” This anthropomorphic metaphor of a display screen which appears to speak facilitates the human/machine bond, enhancing the user experience.
Various embodiments contemplate cloud based voice synthesizing systems and techniques, where the particular style in which the synthesized speech is presented may be selected by the system or by the user. Voice personification may include male, female, gender neutral, gender fluid, or other non-binary modalities.
Vocal inflexion of the synthesized speech can be further enhanced with various equalizer functions such as base, treble, foreign language accents and local dialects, idiomatic word selection, and the like. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) techniques can be used to “learn” the user's moods and emotions, allowing the synthesized voice to match the user's current mood and thereby deepen the interaction. The device can be programmed to learn verbal cues from the human to allow the system to quickly predict human mood changes, and respond accordingly (e.g., use a softer voice when the device senses frustration; use a more whimsical in voice in response to a perceived desire for humorous interaction).
For speech content currently in the pipeline, that is, speech packets selected by the system and queued up to be “spoken” by the module, the device can learn to pause, suspend, or terminate the speech packet to avoid interrupting or confronting the user, for example if the system detects that the user begins or resumes speaking while the module is delivering synthesized speech.
The system can also be programmed to enhance privacy by clearing data from the screen and terminating the current speech packet in response to a “Shh” or analogous user command, for example if another person walks into the room or otherwise advances to within hearing distance or within viewing distance of the display screen.
In one embodiment the digital mouth implements simulated speech in a manner similar to or opposite to that of a person; that is, while a human typically moves his lower jaw during speech, the digital mouth described herein may be configured to simulate movement of the upper lip, lower lip, and/or both lips. When not speaking, the digital mouth may be programmed to assume a “non-speaking” or sleep mode position, such as fading or disappearing entirely into a circle or diminishing dot at the 6:00 o'clock position.
Further embodiments permit the digital mouth to simulate any number of “emoji” type expressions used in social media and texting applications, such as a “sassy” expression with the mouth being skewed to one side or shifting a graphical feature around the lip are at the bottom of the circular screen. In this regard, the system may include an emoji database from which discrete emojis or sequences of emojis can be incorporated into the digital mouth. Unlike conventional static emojis, the present invention further contemplates dynamically configurable (or “moving”) expressions based on emojis.
Other embodiments contemplate a motorized display configured to pivot up and down to simulate nodding, or pivoting left-to-right to indicate agreement, or turning about a horizontal and/or vertical are to maintain line of sight with the user. Other facial features may include graphical depictions of eyes, cheeks, a furled forehead, and the like. Haptics may be employed to add vibration to augment speech, such as laughter, shuddering, coughing, and the like.
With initial reference to
Refereeing now to
In this way, the user simultaneously receives both visual and aural indicia of the display “speaking,” providing for a more intimate and robust user experience.
In other embodiments the term “CIRQ” or other term may represent a default custom call word for hotel and resort applications.
In other embodiments the resort (e.g., front desk) can use the control modules to broadcast messages (e.g., active shooter or other customized messages, notifications, alerts, instructions, warnings, or other emergencies or priority notices) to all rooms on or off the premises, a subset of rooms based on guest profiles or demographics (e.g., all convention participants), a particular wing or building, or the like.
Recognizing that even when a device is “off,” it may still be listening for an “on” or “listen” command, the control module may include a manually slidable, disengageable, or otherwise configurable button or mechanical feature to physically disconnect the voice processor, microphones, sensors and other associated components thereby electrically unplugging and deenergizing the voice capture hardware to ensure guest privacy and data security.
Other embodiments contemplate employee wearable panic button modules which may be Bluetooth or WIFI connected to beacons positioned within the hotel property or used through the employee's mobile phone. The system may be configured to track employees and to alert emergency personnel if an employee is assaulted or otherwise in need of assistance while on property. Accelerometers may be incorporated into the panic button module to detect a fall, and record audio if triggered. The panic signal emitted by the panic module can be detected by beacons located throughout the property, and a geo-fence violation broadcast when someone leaves the property. In one embodiment, the panic button communicates with the CIRQ device; in other embodiments the panic buttons communicate with beacons located around the property.
Occupancy sensors and/or voice recognition systems may be employed keep track of all people in the room, permitting the control module to engage in multi-party conversations, or plural single party exchanges.
Other embodiments contemplate fragrance pods (e.g., tied to a cloud based control system) located in guest quarters, meeting rooms, and other guest areas. The pods may be configured to dispense predetermined fragrances selected by the hotel or the guest. The scent can also be subliminal, to enhance the mood and personification of the display screen, e.g., using aromatherapy, essential oils, popular food items, ocean breeze, rain forest, and the like.
A hotel room internet-of-things (IOT) controller is thus provided which includes: a base module configured for table-top mounting; a control system operable by a guest in the hotel room to wirelessly control temperature, music, and lighting: and a touch interactive screen extending above the base module, the screen including a digital representation of a mouth; wherein movement of the mouth is synchronized to synthesized speech spoken through a speaker associated with the controller.
In an embodiment, the screen comprises a substantially circular display.
In an embodiment, the base module display comprises a cylindrically shaped body having a top circumference and a vertical axis; and the screen is mounted proximate the top circumference.
In an embodiment, the screen is tilted at a predetermined angle relative to a plane orthogonal to the horizontal axis.
In various embodiments, the angle is about 30 to 90 degrees, and preferably about 45 to 60 degrees, and most preferably about 56 degrees, but can be adjustable beyond 90 vertically based on guest resting in bed for optimal viewing angles.
In an embodiment, the controller includes a snooze button, a lamp, and an occupancy sensor.
In an embodiment, the controller further includes a microphone for detecting guest voice commands, and a speaker for playing synthesized speech responsive to the voice commands.
In an embodiment, the digital mouth includes top and bottom lips, and the controller is configured to display the digital mouth: i) in a rest position when the controller is silent; ii) in a partially expanded position when the controller is preparing to speak; iii) in a fully expanded position with lips partially spaced apart when the controller begins speaking; and iv) in a fully expanded position with lips fully spaced apart when the controller finishes speaking.
In various embodiments, the top lip moves relative to the bottom lip; the bottom lip moves relative to the top lip; and/or the top and bottom lips each move relative to each other.
In an embodiment, the controller further includes an emoji database from which expressions are retrieved and integrated into the mouth during synthesized speech.
A method is also provided for enhancing engagement between a hotel room guest and an internet-of-things (IOT) controller of the type including a base module having a speaker and configured for table-top mounting, a control system operable by a guest in the hotel room to control the room environment, and a touch interactive screen extending above the base module. The method includes the steps of: displaying a digital representation of a mouth on the screen; and synchronizing movement of the mouth with synthesized speech played through the speaker.
In an embodiment, the digital mouth includes top and bottom lips, and the step of synchronizing comprises displaying the digital mouth: i) in a partially expanded position when the controller is preparing to play synthesized speech; ii) in a fully expanded position with lips partially spaced apart when the controller begins synthesized speech; and iii) in a fully expanded position with lips fully spaced apart when the controller completes synthesized speech speaking.
In an embodiment, the step of synchronizing further includes at least one of: i) moving the top lip relative to the bottom lip; ii) moving the bottom lip relative to the top lip; and iii) moving both lips.
In an embodiment, the method further includes: providing the IOT controller with access to an emoji database; retrieving an emoji expression from the database; and integrating the emoji expression into the mouth during synthesized speech.
In an embodiment, the method further includes: using artificial intelligence to determine the guest's mood; and adjusting an attribute of the synchronized mouth movement to adapt to the guest's mood.
In an embodiment, the method further includes adjusting an attribute of the synthesized speech to adapt to the guest's mood.
Referring now to
Various embodiments contemplate monitoring the guest's location using the guest's mobile phone, wearable accessory, laptop, or any other GPS or location-enabled device. In this way, location aware (and hence context aware) features and services may be pushed to the guest in new and imaginative ways heretofore not contemplated by existing systems. Moreover, by incenting the guest to keep location services enabled even when the guest is off the hotel property, valuable tracking information may be collected, mined, and harvested to design precisely designed marketing messages delivered with pinpoint accuracy. An additional benefit of collecting aggregate location data surrounds the ability to conduct advanced analytics, and to offer customized guest benefits with guest room and property wide preferences based on these analytics.
From an enterprise standpoint, the system contemplates at least the following levels of value proposition: i) allowing the property to offer guests the ability to control and manage a plurality of IOT devices in the room using a mobile app, with low hardware and installation costs; ii) wirelessly controlling room temperature through a controller mounted within a bedside module; iii) thermal mapping and motion mapping using multiple sensors within a guest room to monitor occupancy through presence or respiration; iv) promoting conservation through gamification coupled with a loyalty rewards component; v) providing the guest with perks and other features which leverage location services (tracking); vi) mining the resulting aggregate location data facilitates the development of enhanced targeted marketing programs; and vii) allowing the hotel property the ability to substantially reduce power and water usage within each room, viii) the ability to migrate personal environmental and personal preferences from property to property.
The value proposition to the guest includes providing enhanced information to the mobile device thru the mobile app regarding the environment within and outside the room on their personal devices or in another functional use having the app running on the central hub. In various embodiments, this involves a cloud based system server (sometimes referred to herein as the CIRQ server) operating within the broader internet environment to thereby integrate the immediate environment (guest room) with the extended environment (the resort property, nearby attractions, and remote attractions).
In various embodiments, the in-room IOT control module is used to drive initial user engagement including operating a version of the mobile app and enabling guest connectivity and services, whereupon the resulting location awareness (tracking) may be used to drive further user engagement (e.g., on and off property perks, targeted and push marketing). Aggregate tracking data from multiple users may then be mined and harnessed to drive further targeted marketing notices, offers, messages, schemes, energy savings, and to analyze travel and spending trends. Indeed, the intersection among the PaaS System with in-room IOT control and location awareness alone has significant value in terms of energy savings for the property owner, as described below.
In addition, the system may be configured to gather performance data for the IOT devices and appliances, failure modes and trends, lifetime usage, servicing cycles/predictions and duty cycles in multiple geographic locations to thereby reduce long term total cost of use, increasing revenue/profit for the PaaS System and driving capital equipment replacement and upgrade timetables for property owners.
Turning now to
More particularly, the IOT module 102 is configured to communicate with the guest device 104 using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, wired or wireless Ethernet, VPN, USB, Zigbee, Z-Wave, cellular (3G, 4G), or any radio bands other suitable wired or wireless protocol. The IOT module 102 is configured to communicate with the devices which comprise the IOT network 103 using ZWave, Bluetooth, or any suitable wired or wireless protocol. The IOT module 102 is configured to communicate with the enterprise server 106 through a gateway 121 (such as the internet) using Wi-Fi, LoRa, 3G, 4G, LTE, Ethernet, radio or any suitable wired or wireless protocol. Similarly, the enterprise server 106 is configured to communicate with the property owner server 108 using Wi-Fi, LoRa, 3G, 4G, LTE, Ethernet, radio or any suitable wired or wireless protocol.
In a typical use case, the guest device 104 communicates directly with the IOT module 102 when the guest device 104 is inside or otherwise closely proximate the hotel room. When the guest is outside the hotel room, off the hotel premises, or otherwise out of range of the IOT module 102, the guest device 104 communicates directly with the enterprise server 106 using a cellular network (e.g., 3G, 4G, LTE) radio or through a suitable wired or wireless internet connection.
Referring now to
Various embodiments of the present invention remote thermostatic control of an in-room heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) unit such as a packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC). PTACs are typically single, commercial grade, self-contained units installed through or inside a wall or window of a hotel guest room. A PTAC's compressor system both cools and heats. To cool, the units compressor pumps refrigerant to cool the coils which attracts heat and humidity which is then exhausted to the outside. To heat, this functionality is reversed. The refrigerant is used to heat the coils, and when air passes over it the unit pushes the heated air into the room. PTACs are larger than a typical through-the-wall air conditioner and can be wired controlled through the relay or wireless controlled via the in-room hub.
With continued reference to
In an alternate embodiment,
The embodiments described in conjunction with
Referring now to
In accordance with the foregoing embodiments, by monitoring environmental parameters and the presence or motion of people at various locations within the living quarters, the system may precisely monitor and/or control energy and other resource consumption. By way of non-limiting example, the system may be configured to open or close window curtains or blinds in coordination with sunrise, sunset, and overcast conditions to thereby influence temperature control within the entire room or within discreet zones. Moreover, the system may optimize temperature, other environmental conditions, or the use of electronic devices as people migrate into and out of the living quarters or sub-zones thereof. The system will also allow for guest to migrate their personal preferences from property to property.
In accordance with further embodiments, the in-room IOT module and/or the underlying operating platform may include incentive, reward, or point based components configured to gamify energy conservation objectives. For example, the system may be configured to compile individual guest and/or aggregate data surrounding consumption of electricity, gas, cold water, hot water, towel and bed linen usage, and other consumables. By establishing usage targets or thresholds, hotel guests may earn loyalty credits or other redeemable points in a gamified context, while at the same time promoting “green” conservation policies.
In an embodiment, cellular data to and from the guest mobile device may be routed thru the CIRQ cloud 106 back to the hotel chain server 108 (See
In a typical swimming pool, beach, golf course, concert venue, or other resort environment having multiple potential guest locations (e.g., bar stools, tables, cabanas, chaise lounges, stadium seats), location awareness allows the server to walk a straight line to bring the correct drink or food order directly to the right guest.
Predictive analytics may be used in conjunction with tracking data. For example, if a guest returns to the guest room at the same time (e.g., 6:00 p.m.) several days in a row, the system may begin pre-cooling the room in anticipation of the guest returning, for example at 5:45 p.m. The system may be configured to fully cool the room when the guest actually enters the geo-fence surrounding the hotel property.
When a guest returns to a particular city, the system can recommend the same or similar restaurants based on previous visits to that city, or even monitor the guest's restaurant reviews (e.g., Yelp) to see how well the guest liked the food and/or venue, and make recommendations accordingly.
Targeted marketing can be in the form of a wrapper around newspaper left in the room or outside the room door. Alternatively, targeted marketing may take the form of text messages (e.g., SMS), notices and offers, or a short video displayed on the in-room television when turned on by the guest.
When incenting a guest to enable location services, for example in the context of a rewards program or an enhanced gamification opportunity, the system may be configured to offer enhanced (e.g. double) points or other incentives for qualified purchases if the location service is enabled, and further enhanced (e.g., tripled) points or other incentives if the guest allows ads to be pushed to their smart phone. Additionally the gamification feature may allow guests to receive additional incentives for limiting their power usage in the room (e.g., turning off lights, adjusting the temperature higher while away from the room, using towels/linens for more than one day, limiting water usage in the shower, faucet, and other water interfaces.
As an additional revenue source, the restaurants or other venues, for example through partnerships or by sponsoring targeted ads, may be required to pay the property owner (e.g., resort operator, hotel chain, time share aggregator) a percentage of payments for the privilege of pushing targeted ads to captive and presumably high income consumers (e.g., the members of a particular loyalty or rewards program) or guests that are using the mobile app for the first time which would make the guest feel more comfortable in the hotel and building loyalty for the hotel. Additionally, in return for presenting and redirecting the guest to off-property locations, restaurants and services, the hotel owner could receive a percentage of the transaction.
When location services detect that a guest is leaving the hotel property around dinner time, the system may be configured to push a contextually aware message to the guest's phone, such as a happy hour drink special at the hotel bar in an attempt to keep the guest on the property. If the guest accepts, the system can subsequently push an ad for a dinner special (e.g., a reduced price) at the hotel restaurant, for example if the guest remains in the bar more than 15 minutes.
Location awareness may be used to identify the names of guests as they approach the front desk, the bar, concierge, or any other venue, thereby allowing resort employees to address guests by name.
Location awareness may also be used to display guest names on a digital sign or other display (e.g., a welcome sign) as each guest approaches the sign. Moreover, location awareness may be used to determine which floor an elevator need to go to transport a guest to the correct room, effectively eliminating the need to press elevator buttons on premium floors.
Contextual awareness may involve the use of previous data to determine a particular guest's food allergies, liquor preferences (e.g., Bombay gin), and/or food preferences (e.g., gluten free options).
When incenting a guest to enable location services, for example in the context of a loyalty program, the system may be configured to award double points (or a 15% discount privilege) if the guest uses the app while on the property, and to award triple points (or a 30% discount privilege) for so long as the guest continues to enable the location service after leaving the property.
In an embodiment the guest can use the in-room module to control the local IOT devices even without downloading the app, but the guest can control the module with the mobile device if the guest downloads the app to the mobile device.
The system may be configured to link with Air B&B, Travelocity, or other travel related sites to gather a list of people going to a particular destination (e.g., San Diego) for a particular purpose (e.g., to stay at a timeshare) during a particular time period (e.g., next week), and send contextually aware targeted ads to the entire group; that is, since they are staying at a timeshare, the system presumes they are leisure travelers (as opposed to business) and can send targeted ads promoting a leisure attraction, such as SeaWorld.
Although preferred embodiments are described in the context of hotel room, those skilled in the art will appreciate that IOT control modules may be installed in any number of environments such as Air B&B rentals, condominium communities, and the like.
In an embodiment, the in-room IOT module may be configured to remotely control an access feature such as a door lock, where the guest can use the mobile app to configure access preferences, such as sending a unique code in an SMS message, or using tracking to unlock the door when the guest is within a predetermined distance (e.g., ten feet) from the door. After check out, the system can send a different code to the next guest, and yet another code to housekeeping personnel. The system can also provide security alerts advising the guest that someone entered the room such as room housekeeping, maintenance or property management.
In another embodiment the hub with integrated colored LEDs can pulse or glow when the alarm goes off to slowly wake the guest and delivering a more pleasant awakening experience.
In another embodiment, the hotel facilities manager can remotely lock, unlock, check the locked status, or change the access code for IOT connected room door locks.
When incenting a guest to enable location services, the system may be configured to offer premium movie channels, Hulu-type streaming or music services, or complimentary nightclub passes (based on guest demographics). Additionally the hub may allow for streaming media from guests' personal mobile devices such as video and audio through the system and to other peripheral devices such as in room TV's.
In other embodiments the guest can select a desired perk (incentive) in exchange for enabling location services, where the perks are harvested from aggregate data (e.g., where do people in this age bracket or other demographic metric tend to dine, are they motivated by discounts, drink specials, enhanced reward points, iTunes credits).
The system may also use aggregate location data to dynamically allocate personnel and resources in real time. For example, as more guests go to the bar, pool, restaurant, or conference center, hotel management can allocate and dispatch service additional personnel as needed.
In another embodiment, the system can be configured to use tracking data to identify approaching guests, and to discretely speak the guest names into a hotel employee's ear piece to thereby allow the employee to address the guest by name.
In various embodiments, the mobile device communicates with the in-room IOT controller via Bluetooth or other protocol while the guest is in the room, but when the guest leaves the room the app can transition so that the mobile app send location data directly with the CIRQ cloud.
In various embodiments, the system may be configured to monitor the room with a motion sensor in addition to or in lieu of location tracking to determine when the room is vacant and the temperature can be adjusted or roll back to a preconfigured setting, fans and television turned off or lights dimmed. In addition, room occupancy detection and analysis allows the system to ignore incidental or transient occupancy (e.g., by housekeeping or administrative personnel) and to forego turning on the air conditioning when hotel staff are in the room but the guest is absent from the room.
In an embodiment, the in-room IOT control system includes a thermostat control module which may be disposed bedside or on a table inside the room. In this way, the guest may adjust the room temperature from their bed without getting up. In addition, the thermostat control module may be configured to transmit a wireless control signal to a wall mounted relay receiver which, in turn, communicates the control signal to an IOT relay which interfaces with the building HVAC system. Alternatively, the guest can adjust the room temperature using the mobile app to control the remote relay thermostat or adjust the temperature with the controls on the wall relay.
In an embodiment, as the guest is returning to the room but still outside the property geo-fence, the mobile app sends location data to the CIRQ cloud over cellular or Wi-Fi, whereupon the CIRQ cloud sends the data to the hotel property's server, which tells the in room device to anticipatorily adjust environmental controls; when the guest enters the room, the phone switches to Bluetooth communication with the in-room IOT control module.
In various embodiments, the motion sensor, array of sensors, and tracking feature can coordinate to record a log of how much time the guest spends sleeping, at on property venues (e.g., business center, hotel bar), and at off property venues, and infer leisure and spending trends from aggregate location and occupancy data.
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